Grindhouse
Hairspray
Knocked Up
Ratatouille
the Bourne Ultimatum
Stardust (I enjoyed it)

It's odd to see Spider-Man 3 in so many lists. I thought it was a terrible mess of a movie, which is a shame since I really enjoyed Spider-Man 2.

quote:

Danks
Slacker
Posted 23 November 2007 12:39 PM Hide Post
It's odd to see Spider-Man 3 in so many lists. I thought it was a terrible mess of a movie, which is a shame since I really enjoyed Spider-Man 2.

First off, I wasn't into the comicbook version growing up so when I watch SPIDERMAN movies I am experiencing it as I experience it without any comparison to the source material. What I really enjoyed about this mainstream movie was the portrayal of good and evil, of betrayal and loyalty. There are some basic universal human themes that are incoporated into this movie - a movie for the everyman. I especially liked Sandman because his transformation was unusual, much more authentic as a human into evil, into compassion, a break from the stereotypical version of monsters. The only major problem with the movie was the inclusion of the so many bad characters, subplots that really diminished the ability of this movie to focus on character development and relationships but I guess for action and adventure for box office receipts took precedence. SPIDERMAN made it into my top ten list for this year, but it isn't the best movie - it's been a good year for movies, the competition is really tough.

So far...

1. Grindhouse
2. No Country for Old Men
3. Ratatouille
4. The Lookout
5. Superbad
6. Zodiac
7. The Host
8. Mr.Brooks

I saw No Country for Old Men last night. I was really, really diggin' it, but the ending through me for a big, fat loop. I wish I had read the book first, so I would know what was in store. I know I can't blame the directors or writers for what was or wasn't in the book, but I just left the theater feeling really unfulfilled - mostly because the entire movie was so effective. I'm going to have to think about this one for a good, long while. Right now, I would have to rank Eastern Promises a bit higher - just because the story was more satisfying for me.

From a filmmaking standpoint, I'm Not There was pretty incredible... I just wish I hadn't gone into it expecting a movie ABOUT Bob Dylan...............

No Country for Old Men -- far and away the best film of the year, so far (but I haven't seen I'm Not There). Flawlessly made, hugely entertaining with scenes of supreme cinematic suspense, and deeply moving about the loss of honour and principle and codes of conduct, about America and the insanity of its violent culture, and about the degeneration of America into a hellish world of senseless cruelty. It is one of those very rare things -- a perfect movie. Come to think of it, rather like Fargo.

The ending is perfect -- I can't imagine why people are disappointed. I don't want to give anything away to those who haven't seen it, but the ending re the villain and the ending re the "narrator" are totally in keeping with what the themes of the movie are. Any other endings would have been untrue to the artistic vision and would have just pandered to a conventional desire for closure. And, as I recall, the movie ends exactly how the book ends.

A lot of people have complained about the violence in the movie. I think the film creates a lot of its effects through the suspense over violence without actually showing a lot. Over and over, the Coens either dangle the prospect of violence in front of you without the story actually turning violent (e.g. the coin toss at the gas station), or show you the aftermath of violence only (e.g. the opening massacre) or indicate a violent event without actually showing the event (several deaths in the movie, but I won't give away which ones). The movie struck me as actually very strategic and restrained in its use of violence.

1.No Country For Old Men
2.Grindhouse
3.Zodiac
4.Konocked Up
5.Superbad

I chose Grindhouse second despite my bias towards all Tarantino movies. I love all of his work, Pulp Fiction is without a doubt my favorite movie of all time. But No Country For Old Men has Grindhouse beat. I had to drive 3 hours to get to a theater that was showing it. So I had plenty of time to think about it on the way home and I reached the conclusion that it is one of the deepest movies I've ever seen, and one of the best.

1. No Country for Old Men
2. Michael Clayton
3. Eastern Promises

Honorable Mentions: Knocked Up, Superbad, Grindhouse

My top 3 would have to be

The Host- moster movie, drama, comedy and thriller all in one. Not just the best foriegn film but best film overall.

No country for old men- im a huge cormac mccarthy fan and this is an extremely impressive adaptation.

Superbad- maby not the best movie but you have to admit it was pretty entertaining.

Im still havent seen CONTROL yet, im pretty optimistic

Good call on The Host -- that was an extremely smart and funny (and scary) horror movie.

I haven't seen Michael Clayton, Eastern Promises or Tne Host yet so my list might change accordingly. I wanted to see them I just didn't have the chance.

I just had to interrupt (briefly) the non-stop glowing praise for NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. As one of the few who was disappointed in the movie, I just wanted to let people know there are detractors out there. I have a long, long list of problems with this movie and I'm dumbfounded why it's getting such rave reviews. It's almost as if people have been hypnotized over an anti-social personality that they've never experienced before, almost like an impulsive American excitement over something new. But lurking underneath this movie, cinematically, it's flawed, and the underlying story's true greatness wasn't allowed to fully be captured on film.

I'd be interested to know what your problems with it are and how it is flawed "cinematically".

quote:

Peewee
Apprentice Guru
Posted 29 November 2007 06:27 AM Hide Post
I'd be interested to know what your problems with it are and how it is flawed "cinematically".

I was afraid that someone would ask this question. It's a very legitimate question, it's just there so much to comment about the problems I have with this movie that it's going to take some time for me to pull together a decent reply to this question. So please be patient, it's getting very busy with another holiday coming up. I will reply to your question, but it may take some time.

i will agree with tabuno that it has some unanswered questions, but i think that after buying the DVD and watching it closely those questions wil be answered through deep metaphors and clever dialogue. But I could be wrong, I think everyone was a little confused walking out of the theater.

quote:

Originally posted by SexyPandaBearGod:
My list would look something like this:
[snip]
2. Sunshine
3. 28 Weeks Later
[snip]

Excellent choices!! I totally forgot about 28 Weeks Later. I saw it twice on the big screen. Underrated for sure. I actually that it was every bit as good as the original. I hope they do NOT make a third in the series, however. Why? I don't think they can sustain that level of quality (unless they employ the original directors).

I guess this is what my list would look like...

1. Zodiac
2. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
3. Grindhouse
4. The Lives of Others
5. Margot at the Wedding


Past 5, it's kind of a mess..... I'd really have to think about it.

quote:

Originally posted by tabuno:

quote:

Peewee
Apprentice Guru
Posted 29 November 2007 06:27 AM Hide Post
I'd be interested to know what your problems with it are and how it is flawed "cinematically".

I was afraid that someone would ask this question. It's a very legitimate question, it's just there so much to comment about the problems I have with this movie that it's going to take some time for me to pull together a decent reply to this question. So please be patient, it's getting very busy with another holiday coming up. I will reply to your question, but it may take some time.

I am not particularly interested in miniscule anaylses of some minor plot point that wasn't entirely resolved. Most thrillers have those. It comes with the territory. I myself have a few questions about plot strands in the film. One can quibble with minor narrative details in any film. Even Citizen Kane has holes in the plot -- characters talk about things they couldn't know and didn't experience. It doesn't make the vision of the film as a whole and less great.

I am interested in your views of the flaws in the overall execution and artistic vision and accomplishment of the film. And I am not trying to challenge you -- just curious about what your issues were, in the interests of having a good discussion.

1) *The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (10)
2) Into the Wild (9)
3) No Country for Old Men (9)
4) *Lust, Caution (9)
5) Assassination of Jesse James (8)
6) Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (8)
7) Zodiac (8)
8) Michael Clayton (8)
9) Gone Baby Gone (8)
10) La Vie En Rose (8)

Close Calls:
Lars and the Real Girl (8)
*The Savages (8)
Eastern Promises (8)
The Bourne Ultimatum (8)
The King of Kong (8)
Rocket Science (8)

The Diving Bell is a truely timeless masterwork -- it's like Hiroshima Mon Amour, 2001, and Look Who's Talking rolled into one. The only picture that can possibly contend with it at this point, in my opinion, is There Will Be Blood. I'm Not There and Atonement are next on my list. Margot at the Wedding unfortunately just made my list of biggest disappointments of the year -- the script is far too raw and none of its characters are likeable.